Like Wildfire
by Eleanor J
Summary: A series of short stories about how people found out our favorite couple got back together after So ... Good Talk.
1. Babette

Like Wildfire

By Ellie J.

Rated: PG-13 (I really think it's PG, but better safe than sorry)

Disclaimer: I do not own Gilmore Girls. If I did, Lorelai would be sharing Luke with me. I'm just playing with them for a bit and promise to return them relatively unscathed.

A series of vignettes about how people found out our favorite couple got back together.

Part 1: Babette

I stand at my darkened porch looking at Lorelai's front door. Oh, that poor girl. And poor Luke, too. They are so miserable without each other. Luke, of course, is going bankrupt with all the business that he's chasing away. Kirk is the only one brave (or maybe stupid) enough to keep going to Luke's. Of course he really loves Luke. In fact, if he weren't seriously dating Lulu, I'd be a little concerned for him. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but Luke definitely does not swing that way, and Kirk does not need more rejection in life than he's already gotten. But anyways, Kirk has eaten every meal there for the past week. The worse Luke's cooking gets, the more Kirk raves about it. It's really kind of sweet.

Lorelai is suffering just as much as Luke. Oh, I know that the town thinks that she's got it together, but it's just an act. That girl has been my neighbor for twelve years now, and I can tell you her spark is gone. Oh, she walks around town is new clothes drinking her coffee acting like she's moving on, but I see her everyday when she's by herself. She's just as miserable as he is. When Luke came and got that boat from her garage it looked like her whole world had fallen apart again. I just wish that I could get the two of them in a room together for a half an hour. I know that's all it would take before all that sexual tension that they've both been repressing explodes like a volcano. Patty and I have been trying to think of places we could "accidentally" lock them in together, but nothing good has come up yet.

I take a moment and glance at the road and I see a familiar figure stalking up the road in his army jacket and backwards baseball cap. My heart palpitates! It's Luke, and he's finally gotten his head out of his ass and is making a move! I suppress a squeal and squat down to hide behind the porch rails. (I can move pretty stealthy for an old broad if I do say so myself).

At this moment, Morey comes out looking for me on the porch. "Babe, are you out here?"

I tug on his arm and bring him down to the porch floor with me. I cover his mouth with my hand and look over to see if Luke heard anything. Morey follows my gaze and his eyes widen as he sees what's going on.

Luke is now on her porch, just standing at the door taking deep breaths. I quietly make my way off of the porch so that I can get a better view of the door when Lorelai answers. Morey follows me. (He's pretty stealthy too).

"Come on, you big dope. Knock!" I whisper to myself, as he continues to just stand there. He finally knocks and my heart starts beating even faster. A few seconds later, Lorelai opens the door. She looks shocked to see Luke there, but before she can say anything he strides into house, takes her into his arms and starts kissing her. I grab Morey's hand in excitement and give a little yelp. Lorelai is kissing him back. She frees one hand long enough to close the door, but I can still see their silhouettes kissing through the window. I feel like I'm going to burst from excitement. I turn to Morey, pull him down and give him a big kiss. I run into the house, pick up the phone and dial a familiar number.

"Patty, you are not going to believe what just happened!"


	2. Rory

Like Wildfire

By Ellie J.

Disclaimer: Gilmore Girls does not belong to me. I don't own anything that most people would want so it's really not worth suing me.

A/N: Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to review the story.

Part 2: Rory

I stretch my arm to where Logan should be resting, but my hand touches a piece of paper instead. I pick it up and read Logan's note.

Ace,

Went to get some coffee and breakfast, and you looked too beautiful to disturb, but felt like I should leave a note in case you woke up. Be right back.

Logan.

Mmm… breakfast in bed with Logan. That sounds scrumptious. It's nice to have someone to pamper me a bit, and Logan is seriously good at pampering a girl. I know that we have a no strings relationship. I respect that he's honest about not wanting to be involved with anyone in particular, but sometimes I can't help but wish that there were a few strings between us.

I think back to my conversation with Mom last week at Weston's, and I start to feel a little guilty. I wasn't completely honest with her about Logan. Mom really tries to support me in whatever I do, but I don't think she'd be okay with the 'friends with benefits' relationship I have with Logan. But at the same time I wanted to talk to her about him. Our relationship hasn't been the same since I started Yale. We're still close, but we just don't communicate the way we used to. I want some of that back.

I look at the clock and realize that I can probably catch my mom at home before she goes to work. I grab my cell phone and hit number two on the speed dial. (Number one is Mom's cell).

The phone rings and rings, and I think that I must have missed her when she finally picks up.

"Hello," she says in a low, throaty voice.

"Mom?" She sounds like she's still in bed, and I get a little afraid that she's begun to wallow again.

"Hey hon," she whispers, "What are you doing calling me this early in the morning?"

I get even more worried, because ever since the wallowing phase of the break-up ended, she's been Miss Workaholic. "It's not that early, Mom. I just wanted to make sure that you were really okay with me leaving early." My mother then giggles. A real giggle. Not those fake pseudo-laughs she's been giving out for the past month, but a genuine Lorelai Gilmore guffaw.

"I'm just fine kid," she whispers and laughs again. A thought enters my head.

"Mom … " I'm not even able to finish my sentence when she begins to laugh even harder, and then I hear a low rumbling voice in the background. "Mom, who's there with you?"

I hear my mom say, "It's Rory," to whomever she's with, and then I hear what at that moment are the two most beautiful words in the English language.

"Aw jeez."

I squeal and drop the phone. I fiddle around looking for it in the comforter and then finally pick it back up. "Mom, is that …"

"Yeah, hon."

Shock fills me for an instant, and then pure joy flows through my veins. "Yes!" I scream into the phone. "Oh my gosh! Ok, I'm gonna let you guys go back to whatever it was that you were doing." I hear my mom chuckle, and I know that if I don't stop her she's going to start telling me exactly what they were doing. "I really don't want to know the details, Mom. I'm just… I'm so happy for you guys." I can feel the tears coming down my face.

"I'm happy too, kid," she tells me with her own tears evident in her voice.

"Ok, I'll be going. Mom, tell Luke that I'm on cloud nine with happiness."

"I will babe. Love ya'"

"Love you, too."

I disconnect the phone with the happy tears coming down my cheeks and a loopy grin on my face. This is how Logan finds me when he returns with two cups of coffee and a bag of pastries. He sets down the bag and comes over to me.

"Ace, are you okay?" he asks me worriedly.

I start to laugh. I can't help it. I'm giddy with joy. "Yeah, I'm great. My mom and Luke got back together last night."

"And this is good news?"

"It's amazing news. They broke up the night of my grandparent's vow renewal, and they've been miserable without each other ever since. Mom missed him, and he missed mom, and I missed them being together." I stop for a moment as I remember my anger at Grandma. "I don't know what my grandmother was thinking, trying to get my mom and dad together. Dad is not someone Mom can depend on. Don't get me wrong. I love my dad, but Luke is the one that's been there for most of the big moments and all of the not so big moments in our lives." I glance at Logan to see if he thinks I'm not being casual enough, but all I see is a tender expression on his face.

"He sounds nice."

"He is, and I love both him and my mom, and I'm just incredibly happy that they're happy." Logan expression softens even more and he begins to play with my hair.

"Well, I'm happy that you're happy," he says, and he grabs the bag and hands it to me. "I got you a large coffee and a plethora of pastries to choose from for breakfast."

"A plethora, huh?" I answer and smile back at him. I'm so glad I came back to school early.

A/N 2: Read and review, but please no flames. Remember, only you can prevent cyber-fires.


	3. Sookie

Like Wildfire

By Ellie J.

Disclaimer: Not mine. Just playing. Don't sue. Please.

A/N: Thanks to everyone who's taken the time to read and review the story. I'm glad that it's giving you some chuckles. I really appreciate the suggestions. There probably won't be a Jess chapter, but I am seriously thinking of adding a Christopher chapter. I kind of want to make the deadbeat suffer.

Part 3: Sookie

I was on my way to work to help get breakfast together when I decided to drive by Lorelai's house on the off chance that she was still there. Ever since the break-up, she's been at work before me. I don't have to be at work as early as I used to because the kitchen staff has been getting breakfast startedsince I've entered my third trimester. It's nice. It gives me a little extra sleep (which I certainly need). It was so embarrassing to fall asleep in the middle of a conversation with Lorelai and Rory at Weston's last Friday. What can I say? Growing babies is hard work.

I'm surprised to see Lorelai's jeep still parked in front of her garage, and I decide to stop and see if she wants some company on her morning Weston's run. I called her last night and she told me that Rory had gone back to Yale early to be with her new boyfriend. She was putting on a brave face (or voice, as the case may be), but I could tell she was a little depressed.

I'm worried about her. She really scared me the day she and Luke broke up. I have never seen Lorelai that way before. When I found her sobbing uncontrollably in her bed, barely able to form complete sentences, Ididn't know what to do. She's always been so strong. I've seen Lorelai through quite a few break-ups, but after putting the guy's things in a box and eating some chocolate chip cookie dough, she always seemed able to put it behind her. The worst I had ever seen her before was when Christopher left after Sherry got pregnant, but that doesn't even compare to the total devastation that I witnessed after Luke broke up with her.

I had such hopes for Luke and Lorelai. They were supposed to get married and then have babies of their own. Then my babies would grow up with their babies and then, if everything went according to plan, one of my babies would marry one of their babies and then we'd be grandparents together. I envisioned us having big family holidays together with me making a wonderful dinner – maybe a giant turkey with a great walnut stuffing. I was even going to allow Luke to make one of the desserts that Lorelai is always raving about. I sigh as I turn off my car. I really wanted to have those family dinners.

A part of me just wants to go over to Lukes, walk behind his stupid counter and smack him upside his stupid head. He's miserable. Everyone in town knows that he's miserable, and he's making my best friend miserable too just because he's too stubborn to admit that he wants back in. Argh!

I struggle out of my car and shuffle up to the porch. I knock on the door, but no one answers. I turn the doorknob, and, of course, it's unlocked. The door squeaks a little as I enter.

"Lor …" I start to call out her name, when I notice the lamp on the little side table knocked on the floor. As I enter the living room, I notice thatthe lamp with the flowered lampshade is lying on the couch. Fear grips my stomach as I notice other things that have been knocked over. All rational thought leaves my head, and I go up the stairs as fast as my pregnant body will let me. I run to Lorelai's room, open up the door and see Lorelai in bed kissing a man.

"Oh God, I'm sorry!" I turn around and face the doorway, completely embarrassed.

"Sookie!" Lorelai screeches.

"Sookie!" A familiar male voice growls. I turn around, and see a red-faced Luke pulling the sheets up to his chest and glaring at me.

I scream with joy, and run over to a flannel clad Lorelai. "You're back together! I can still have my turkey dinners!" I ignore her confused look, give her a big hug and sit down next to her on the bed. "Tell me _everything_! How did it happen? _Oh!_" I lower my voice to an excited whisper. "Did you guys finally do it on a table?"

"A _table_?" Luke asks.

"Sookie, do you think we could find any other time to talk about this." Lorelai gestures to Luke, and I remember what I interrupted.

"Yes. I'm sorry. Ummm… I'll be going. Don't worry about coming into work today. You guys enjoy yourselves. I can handle everything."

Lorelai smiles at me, but says, "Thanks for the thought, Sookie, but Michel is still in L.A., and you are very pregnant. I'll be there. I'll just be a little late."

"Okay, you're right," I acknowledge. "But I want details as soon as you come in."

Luke jumps a bit at this. "Wait a minute. What kind of details?" he asks both of us suspiciously, still clutching at his sheets, his face turning even redder than before.

"Don't worry Luke." I reach over and pat his knee with my hand. "She only says nice things about you." Instead of taking this as a compliment, he lies back down, covers his face with a pillow, and screams into it. Lorelai and I share a smirk, and I decide I should head off to work. I can't wait to tell Jackson!

I try and stand up, but I have a difficult time getting the necessary leverage. "Lorelai, could you give me a boost here?" She helps me get off the bed, and I turn to look at her. The sparkle is definitely back. "I've missed you, my friend," I tell her.

She smiles back. "I've missed me too."

"Well, I'm going to use the restroom before I leave. All the excitement has made Baby do the can-can on my bladder." I can't help but tease them a little. "You guys left a big mess downstairs. I thought you had been burglarized and murdered, but I guess it was just reallywild make-up sex." I enjoy seeing Luke's face turn red again. "I'll see you in a while, Lorelai." I glance at Luke, who is trying to ignore my presence and call out to him. "Luke," he turns his head to acknowledge me, "it's about freaking time."

"Yeah, it was," he answers. He looks over to Lorelai and smiles what I call his 'Only for Lorelai Smile,' and I get a warm tingly feeling all over, and Ican feel tears begin to form in my eyes.

I leave the room before the annoying pregnancy hormones turn me into a complete blubbering idiot. I waddle down the stairs with a song in my heart. Maybe I'll alsolet Luke make some side dishes at all those family gatherings.

Next up: Kirk (with a little bit of Patty and Taylor!). But it may take me a little longer than these first few chapters.


	4. Kirk and Patty and Taylor, oh my!

Like Wildfire

By Ellie J.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Gilmore Girls. I do not own anything associated with Gilmore Girls. If I did, there would be much more PDA between Luke and Lorelai.

A/N: I, again, want to thank everyone who's reviewed the story. I walk around work with a big dopey smile on my face. A special thanks to Suz, who said that I almost made her fall out of her chair laughing. That's the biggest compliment I could ever get.

Part 4: Kirk (and Patty and Taylor, oh my!)

I'm standing outside of Lukes in the cold morning air, waiting for him to come down and open up. I've been having every meal here for the past week and a half to show him my support during this difficult time.

I owe Luke a lot. Growing up, Luke always stopped the other boys from beating me up too much. I mean he would still let them beat me up. Sometimes, he'd even help them, but there was a line that he wouldn't let them cross. I remember when my brother, Tom, wanted to strip me, tie me up, cover me with honey and leave me outside in the park overnight. Luke was the one who talked him into merely dressing me in one of mother's dresses, putting make-up on my face, and throwing me out of the car in the middle of town square. He saved me so many times like that.

I was heartbroken when Lorelai and Luke split up. They are both my friends. Lorelai has never been anything but nice to me. Even when she told me that she wouldn't date me, she didn't laugh at me to my face or put out a restraining order against me like so many other women did before I met Lulu.

Luke is probably my best friend. He's the one that calmed me down when I realized that Lulu really liked me, he's the one that fixed the table so that I could be Jesus in _The Last Supper_, and he's the one that found all the Easter eggs that I hadlost around town. Luke cares about me. I know he would never say that he cares about me, but if chasing ascreaming naked man around town and tackling him isn't love, then I don't know what is.

And this caused a big dilemma after the break-up. Taylor kept on saying that everyone had to choose sides, but I'm friends with both of them. They've both helped and supported me over the years. Taylor wouldn't let me alternate ribbons everyday like I wanted to. He said that I had to choose. It was a terrible decision that I agonized over, but eventually I chose a blue ribbon for Luke. It's not that I think Lorelai was at fault in the break-up, but I know how they both handle emotional pain. Lorelai throws herself into her work, and part of her work is to be sociable. Plus she has Sookie and Rory, and I know that they'll keep an eye on her. Luke, on the other hand, does not react well to being hurt. He tends to yell. Loudly. If the pain goes on too long he will even start to throw things and - like in recent days - people. Luke needs someone on his side that he can't scare off with cruel words and brute force. I am that man.

I glance at my watch and notice that it's almost 6:30. I'm starting to get worried about Luke. He has been opening the diner later than usual, but never this late. He shooed me out of the diner last night after Lorelai's mother left. What if he left town, like Taylor's been trying to force him to do for the past two weeks? I back away from the building to look for a drainpipe so that I can climb up the side of the building and look through his windows to see if he's all right.

"Kirk, what are you doing?" I turn around and see Miss Patty coming towards me.

"I'm trying to find Luke. He hasn't opened up yet, and I'm starting to get worried about him."

For some reason, Miss Patty finds this extremely amusing. She smiles and raises her eyebrows at me. "Really," she leers.

"Do you know something?" I ask.

"Kirk, it's me. Of course I know something." I lean closer to get the scoop. "I was at home last night when Babette called, and she told me that Luke had just stormed up to Lorelai's door, knocked, and when she opened it, he strode in and kissed her like there was no tomorrow. Isn't it just like in _An Officer and a Gentleman_? All Luke needed were the Navy dress whites." She pauses a moment and a big smile appears on her face. "Hmm… Luke would look very nice in a uniform," she muses. "Anyways, they're probably still 'reconciling' right now, if you catch my drift."

A wave of relief washes over me. The madness has ended. I look down at my blue ribbon and get an idea.

"We need to celebrate," I tell her. "I am going to collect every pink and blue ribbon so that the people of Stars Hollow can come together to celebrate Luke and Lorelai's reconciliation." With that I rip my ribbon off my shirt.

"Urgh!" I close my eyes at the sudden pain.

"Kirk, are you all right?" Patty asks me.

"Yeah," I gasp. "I just pulled at the ribbon too vigorously. I'm fine. Ok, I need to get organized so that I can do this properly. I'm going to need signs to let people know what I'm doing, a container for the ribbons, and a central location to collect them."

Miss Patty thinks for a moment. "Well, I can make signs for you on my computer. For a box, I suggest you get the one that Taylor has been using to hand the blasted things out." I smile at the good suggestion. Taylor had replaced the one that Rory had confiscated (or stolen, as Taylor puts it). He just makes sure to hide the new box from Rory whenever she comes in the store. He just ran out of ribbons the other day, but has already put in an order for more.

Miss Patty continues with her suggestions. "As for a central location, thanks to Lorelai, Luke will probably be in a very good mood this morning. You should ask him for a table in the diner."

This sounds like a good plan of action to me. "Ok, you go make the signs. I'll get the box and meet you back here."

I rush over to Doose's and find Taylor already there. I run inside, see the box on Taylor's counter, and I grab it.

"We aren't going to be needing the ribbons anymore, Taylor. I'm going to start collecting them."

Taylor grabs the box out of my hands. "What do you mean, we don't need the ribbons anymore? I told you earlier, Kirk, that the ribbons are an important tool in gauging how the community feels about an issue that is both close to our hearts and important for the economic future of Stars Hollow." He pauses to take a breath and I interrupt him.

"Yes, but Luke and Lorelai got back together last night, so the community no longer has to feel anything about the break-up. It's over." I grab the box out of Taylor's hands and rush out the door towards the diner. Taylor is right behind me.

"Luke and Lorelai got back together? Did they tell you this?" he asks me.

"No," I answer. "Patty told me."

"Did either Luke or Lorelai tell Patty that they were getting back together?"

"No, Babette told her, but Babette saw them kissing on Lorelai's porch last night."

"Kirk, I am not going to allow you to start collecting ribbons on the basis of third hand testimony. It's all hearsay." He tries to take the box from me again, but I hold on to it tight and we start to grapple for it.

"Kirk!" he yells at me as I twist my body around so that I'm keeping myself between him and the box. "Don't you understand that if you're wrong - like you probably are - it will only be more painful for everyone involved to have to redistribute the ribbons?"

"No!" I shout back at him, pivoting to keep my back to him as he tries to get around me to grab the box. "These are not random rumors. Babette saw them with her own eyes. She called Patty after watching them. They are back together, and it is time for the town to heal!" He continues to try and get the container from me, but all that DDR has made me very quick on my feet.

"What the hell are the two of you doing?" Taylor and I turn around to see Luke staring at us like we were crazy.

"Luke!" I run over to him, taking the box with me. "Tell Taylor that you and Lorelai are back together." His eyes widen and he opens his mouth to speak, but it takes a few seconds for words to come out.

"Where the hell did you hear that?" he finally asks. My heart plummets. Does this mean that they aren't back together? Taylor runs over to me and grabs the box out of my hands.

"Ah ha! I told you that you shouldn't listen to everything that Patty says."

"Miss Patty?" Luke's eyes get even wider. "How did she find out? It just happened last night."

"Ah ha!" I seize the box back from Taylor as my former euphoria returns. I turn to Luke. "You can count on me to get every pink and blue ribbon that has gone out during this unfortunate time."

"Yeah Kirk, whatever." Luke says. "I still want to know how Miss Patty found out that Lorelai and I are back together."

"Oh," I say with a wave of my hand, "Babette saw the two of you making out on Lorelai's porch last night."

"Really?" Luke's face starts to turn an interesting shade of red.

"Yes. Apparently, they decided your reconciliation was very _An Officer and a Gentleman_," I inform him. "And that you'd look good in a uniform."

Luke closes his eyes, shakes his head and groans as he turns to unlock the diner. "Living in this town is like living in a freaking fish bowl," I hear him mutter. I start to follow him into the diner, but Taylor grabs my arm.

"Kirk, I fully expect you to return those ribbons to me after you've collected them. We will probably need them again some day," he says and then heads back to his store.

I enter the diner where Luke is already taking down the chairs. "Luke."

"Yes Kirk," he grumbles.

"It would be really helpful to have a central location where people can drop off their ribbons, and I was thinking …"

"No Kirk,"

"But Luke, don't you want to celebrate your re-found happiness?" He turns to look at me, and I get a good look at him for the first time this morning. Miss Patty was right. Lorelai did put him in a really good mood. His eyes don't have that dead look, and he seems lighter, as if a giant weight has been lifted off of him.

Luke lowers his head and groans. I know I've won. "I'm gonna regret this, but okay, you can set up here. You get one table, Kirk. That's it."

"Thanks Luke." I run to the door, "I'm going to go see if Miss Patty's done making the signs yet so that we can post them all over town."

"Aw, jeez," he moans, and I open the door to leave.

"Hey Kirk." I turn back.

"When you come back, breakfast is on the house." I see the smile that's hiding in his eyes and I can't help but smile back at him. I leave the diner to go over to Miss Patty's. Afterwards, I think I'll go find Lulu. I know she'll be as happy as I am that these dark days are over with and gladly turn in her pink ribbon.

A/N 2: There will be at least 2 more chapter, possibly 4 more depending on how cooperative my muse is.


	5. Lane

Like Wildfire

By Ellie J.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these wonderful characters. I'm just playing with them.

A/N: I'm glad you guys are enjoying these. I tried to update last night, but my computer was uncooperative. So I'm doing it today at work. I will definitely be doing a Christopher chapter, buthe will be last. This chapter is not as quirky funny as the other chapters. But I adore Lane, and I wanted to talk a little about her no sex thing before marriage thing.

Part 5: Lane

I wake up slowly and turn around to look at my clock. It's 8:30. I've got to get up to go to work. Work. What a joke. I haven't had decent tips for the past week and a half. I've had to cut down on luxury items like snack foods and nail polish. I'm afraid if this keeps up, we're going to have to decide between the phone and cable.

I get dressed and leave my room to get some breakfast before I go to work. I used to just grab something at the diner, but Luke's food lately … well it sucks. I'm sorry, but it does. I love Luke like a really grumpy uncle, but he's been beyond grumpy for the past week.

I pour myself a bowl of Corn Pops and start eating my breakfast. I can tell by the almost empty fruit loops bowl, that Zach has already had breakfast and left. This would normally be way to early for him ("Getting up before 10am is so not rock and roll!"), but he's still a little freaked out by my confession the other night and is avoiding me while he's processing it.

I'm still a little freaked out about it. At first, I didn't understand where this decision came from. I mean I know where the idea came from: eighteen years of Mama Kim telling me that sex should only happen within marriage, and even then there was no reason that you should actually enjoy it. But I've been trying to figure out why I decided to listen to her (not the no fun thing – I totally plan on enjoying myself if and when I have sex).

I've spent the past day and a half trying to talk myself into having sex. It hasn't worked. I have to be honest and admit that at this point I can't imagine being comfortable with having sex outside of marriage. (God, I hope I don't turn into one of those Camden kids on 7th Heaven who get married just so that they can have sex).

After much thought, I'm starting to formulate a theory on why this particular Mama Kim teaching stuck. I am a romantic. Yep, that's me: a huge fluffy loving sucker for true love stories. I love watching movies where the guy and the girl fall in love, and you know that their love lasts forever no matter what difficulties they face. I want that. I don't want to fall in love, have sex, then fall out of love and move onto the next guy. I don't necessarily think it's wrong for anyone else to do that, but I just can't see myself doing it. A part of me wishes that I could. It would make dating much easier.

But most of me wants to hold out for that special someone. I don't know if that's Zach. I really like Zach. He's a great boyfriend. But I don't know if it's that 'til death do us part kind of love.

Of course, since I've formulated this theory there is this nagging voice asking me if there is any such thing as true love. I mean Rory and Dean said that they loved each other. They even had sex while he was still married to Lindsay, but I kept telling myself that it was okay, because they had that special love. But they didn't. He broke up with her a few months later, and now she's 'casually' dating Logan. A part of me envies that she can do that, but deep down I know that is just not something I could do.

But what if I'm holding out for something that doesn't exist? What if that true love that I'm dreaming about is just something that Shakespeare invented to sell tickets to his plays?

Look at Luke and Lorelai. I totally thought they had the true love thing going. I mean they glowed when they were with each other (and seeing Luke glow is quite a sight to behold), but now Lorelai is working sixty hours a week, and Luke is rapidly putting himself out of business. If they can't make it happen, can anyone?

I glance at the clock and realize it's time for me to head to work so I can try and save what customers we have left and earn my very meager living. I lock up the apartment and start to walk mechanically to work, my mind not paying any attention to my surroundings. My brain is full of thoughts about true love and sex and boyfriends and before I know it, I'm at Lukes.

When I open the door the first thing I see is Kirk sitting at a table with Taylor's big box of ribbons in front of him and he's yelling, "Ribbons here! Return your ribbons here!"

"Kirk, what's going on?" I ask.

"Luke and Lorelai have reconciled! Oh, happy day! The need for these ribbons has ended!" he yells so the whole diner can hear him.

"Kirk!" a familiar growl says. I turn around and see Luke coming from one of the corner tables. "Can you please not shout that every five minutes?"

Kirk answers something about it being a day of jubilee. I don't really pay attention because I'm observing Luke. His eyes no longer have that dead yet angry look about them. In fact, he's kind of glowing. Luke and Lorelai worked things out! True love conquers all! I'm so happy that I can't think about anything except how happy I am and without any thought, I give Luke a big hug.

"You guys worked it out! I'm so happy for you!" I squeal as I continue to hug him. At this point I notice that he's holding his arms outwhile he stiffly stands there. I remember just who I am hugging. I jump back and feel my cheeks getting hot. Luke just stands there with his arms still held out with a shocked expression on his face.

"I'm so sorry," I stammer. "I was just so happy. It's been hard watching the two of you be miserable."

His expression returns to normal as helowers his arms. "It's okay, Lane. I'm just not used to being hugged by … anyone."

"I can give you a hug," Kirk pipes in.

"No Kirk," Luke says quickly.

"I'll just run and get my apron and then I'll be right back to start taking orders," I tell Luke. He follows me to the back room and I turn to look at him. He has a serious expression on his face.

"Lane, I just want to thank you for everything you've done during the past week. I know I've been impossible to work for, but you were always here with a smile on your face. You put up with a lot more crap from me than many other people would, and I really appreciate that."

"Luke, it's okay."

"No, it's not. I'm guessing your tips have sucked for the past week or so?"

"Well, kind of," I admit.

"I'm going to put a little extra in your paycheck this week to help supplement that."

I'm amazed at his generosity. "Luke, you don't have to do that."

"Yeah, I do. I know that you depend on your tips to help make ends meet, and it's my fault that your tips haven't been as high as they should be. You're a great employee, and this is just my way of apologizing for all the times I yelled at you this week and for chasing the customers away."

"Thanks Luke," I tell him while fighting the urge to hug him again. I turn to go back to work. I'm suddenly feeling better about my life. We won't have to give up our phone. There's still Zach to worry about, but at least I know that I'm not holding out for something that doesn't exist.

A/N 2: BTW, I don't own 7th Heaven either (Yay!). I'm not entirely satisfied with this chapter, but I really wished we had seen Lane in Pulp Friction, so here it is. The other chapter that I know I'm doing for sure will be a Richard chapter (Someone has to tell one of Lorelai's parents that Luke is just about perfect). There might be one more before the Richard chapter– again – if my muse is cooperative.


	6. Crazy Carrie

Like Wildfire

By Ellie J.

Disclaimer: Yadda, yadda, yadda. Not mine. Blah, blah, blah. Don't sue.

A/N: Wow. 60 reviews. Thanks.

Part 6: Crazy Carrie

I look at the mirror and adjust my cleavage to its best advantage. I look good if I do say so myself. My zebra print stretchy top and black mini skirt are emphasizing all of the right curves. Today is the day. It's the day where I go and finally get some Luke Lovin'.

I have wanted Luke "Butch" Danes since I was fourteen and first became friends with Liz. I remember going to her house to hang out just on the off chance that I would see him walking in from track practice. Sometimes I would pretend to leave after he came in so that I could climb the tree outside of his window and watch him get undressed. All I can say is that teenaged Luke had the finest ass in Stars Hollow, and from what I could tell during _Fiddler_, he still does.

I wasn't the only one of Liz's friends who had a crush on Luke. He was (and is) so quietly intense. We couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to have all of that energy focused on you while you were making out in the back of a car. We all decided back then and there that Luke would definitely take good care of a woman.

Liz would get sick of all of us asking questions about him and what he was like and the kind of girls that he dated. She would leave the room and tell us to call her when we were done talking about the probable sexual prowess of her brother. These absences provided us with the opportunity to take turns sneaking into his bedroom to steal stuff. I personally had three pairs of boxers, an old school ID, a bottle of his cologne and a comb with some strands of hair in it.

We may all have had crushes on him, but I was the only one with guts enough to do anything about it. I remember it like it was yesterday. It was after the Homecoming game and I followed Luke behind the bleachers. He had been drinking during the game and had gone back there to take a quick leak. Luke had just zipped up his pants when I called out his name. He turned around and looked a little confused to see me there, but that didn't stop me. I went right up to him, grabbed him and gave him a big kiss. He responded! I know he responded for a second before he pushed me away and ran back out to the field. For one brief second I was the focus of all of that intensity and it was fabulous. Afterwards he pretended that it never happened, but I knew differently.

I've fantasized about him over the years, and I believe that now is my best opportunity to finally finish what we started back behind the bleachers. There's nothing stopping us. My husband knows that I don't believe in monogamy, and Luke is no longer seeing that ditzy bulimic, Lorelai Gilmore. (I've seen her eat. She's got to have some sort of eating disorder). Everyone in town thinks that he's grumpy because he misses that skinny little airhead. Please. He's just used to regularly getting some action, and is responding to being cut off cold turkey. Anyone would be grouchy under those circumstances.

That Lorelai Gilmore! She ruined my plan to 'comfort' Luke during the play. He was the whole reason I volunteered to direct the stupid thing! Like I would willingly spend that much time with so many third graders. I tried to talk to him during rehearsals, but his little assistants never left his side. I thought that I would have my chance during the actual play, but Ms. Gilmore - the little attention hog - ruined that plan with her presence.

Today is different though. My sources tell me that Luke has reached the breaking point. His sexual frustration is so bad that he's literally throwing people out of his diner. My plan is to go into the diner, walk up to him and tell him that I know he has an itch and that I'm willing to scratch it. No strings. Then that's it. I get a full day of Luke pounding out his sexual frustrations. Yummy.

I finish inspecting my reflection and spray perfume on some of my hot spots. It's time for me to go. I smile the entire drive to the diner just thinking about the day I have planned.

I first notice that something is wrong as I walk up to the diner. There are people in it. According to my sources – except for that freak, Kirk – Lukes was empty all yesterday evening. But I look in the windows and I see at least four couples happily eating.

I walk into the diner and the first thing I see is Kirk yelling at the top of his voice, "Spread the word! Luke Danes and Lorelai Gilmore have reconciled! Return your ribbons here!"

Disappointment is too weak a word to describe the emotion that flows through me. I grit my teeth to keep myself from screaming out in aggravation. Luke looks up from his counter and sees me. His eyes widen a bit and he calls out to that little Asian waitress of his that he's going in the back.

I just stand there frozen in frustration until a voice brings me back to reality.

"Can I help you?" It's the waitress.

"No," I answer her, as calmly as I can. I turn around and exit the diner and walk back to my car. Damn it! Now I'm the one who has an itch that needs to be scratched. I take a deep breath. I suppose I could always surprise my husband at work. He's always good for a quickie. It won't be a very good quickie, but it's better than nothing. I look longingly at the diner. Someday, I tell myself. Someday.

A/N: I don't actually think that Luke responded to Carrie at Homecoming. I think that she's crazy - hence the nickname Crazy Carrie. Next up: Richard.


	7. Richard

Like Wildfire

By Ellie J.

Disclaimer: I do not own Lorelai, Rory, Luke, Richard, Emily or any other character associated with Gilmore Girls. I am just taking them out to play for a while and I promise to return them.

A/N: I'm glad that you guys enjoyed the Crazy Carrie chapter. I had to get in a really slutty frame of mind to write it. Complete opposite of the Lane chapter. Anyhoo, this is my Richard chapter. Every time I watch either Richard or Emily put down Luke I want Lorelai or Rory to defend him. Luke is pretty darn close to being perfect, in my opinion, and deserves to be defended! This chapter takes place the same day as the "Shut up!" heard 'round the world. Imagine that Richard is meeting Rory for a quasi-secret lunch with Richard after hanging up with her Lorelai. Richard does not yet know about Lorelai and Emily's confrontation. I assume that this will become AU as soon as the next episode airs.

Part 7: Richard

I glance at my watch as I walk to Rory's building. I'm running a bit late for our lunch together. Emily doesn't know about this lunch with Rory as she is still sensitive about the distance between them, but I feel that I can get quite a bit accomplished at this lunch. First of all, I want to do a little reconnaissance work to see if I can discover what exactly is going on between Lorelai and the diner owner. The second, but more important reason is that I miss being able to talk to Rory without the strain between her and Emily tainting everything. She was much more civilized this past Friday night dinner, but she still wasn't her usual self.

I want to talk to Rory about what her grandmother did. I hope to make her understand that Emily had Lorelai's best interest at heart. I'm sure that Rory is just reacting to her mother's anger, and, despite what Lorelai says, she feels that she has to be loyal to her mother in this. I want Rory to know that her mother is perfectly capable of fighting her own battles, and that she doesn't need to alienate her grandmother on her mother's behalf.

I finally reach Rory's door and knock. It's not long before she answers.

"Grandpa!" she says as she greets me with a smile and a hug.

"Are you ready to go?" I ask.

"Yes, just let me grab my coat," she says as she walks back to her room. We decide to forgo the dining hall in favor of a charming little pub not far from campus. I'm hoping that it will give us the privacy I want for our conversation. We order our food and talk about books that we've read recently. Time flies and before I know it, our lunch has arrived. Rory takes an enthusiastic bite of her cheeseburger but then looks a little disappointed as she swallows it.

"Is your food all right?" I ask her.

"Yes Grandpa. It's just not as good as Luke's cheeseburgers. I miss those cheeseburgers. I sometimes dream about swimming in them. I tried to have one when I was at home on spring break, but the break-up was seriously messing with his cooking ability. Now that he and Mom are back together, I may have to go home this weekend just to get one."

"Oh, so your mother and Luke got back together?" I ask as nonchalantly as possible, while trying to control my jolt of surprise.

"Yes, last week," she answers and she smiles into her glass as she takes a drink.

I take a sip of my own drink as I try to think of a way to tactfully ask the question that I want to ask. I notice Rory studying me as she eats her fries.

"Grandpa, do you have something on your mind?"

I pause for a moment to collect my thoughts. "Yes. I know that this is a sore subject, but I'm wondering why your mother still refuses to come to Friday night dinners if she is back with Luke. I don't know if you're aware of it, but your grandmother went to see him last week to tell him to get back together with your mother."

"She mentioned something about that, but Grandpa, you have to realize that Mom and Luke getting back together has nothing to do with getting Grandma's permission to date."

"I'm not sure that I understand."

"Luke has never done anything in his entire life just because someone told him to. In fact, he's much more likely _not_ to do it just to be contrary. Luke was already close to the breaking point when Grandma showed up. He and Mom had a long talk that night and worked everything out. Thank Goodness. It was horrible watching both of them be so miserable." She smiles fondly and I realize, for the first time, that she really does care for Luke a great deal.

"Well, be that as it may, your grandmother has tried to put everything right. Shouldn't that count for something? Your mother is being deliberately hurtful ..."

"As opposed to what Grandma did?" Rory interrupts me, anger apparent in her voice.

"Rory …"

"No, Grandpa," she starts and then she pauses. I can see the distaste in her face, and I know that she hates fighting with me as much as I hate fighting with her, but she continues on. "Grandma plotted to break them up. She did something to deliberately hurt and embarrass Luke, and the only reason she told Luke to go back to Mom is because Mom won't have anything to do with Grandma. She's not really sorry, and both Mom and Luke know that she's not really sorry." Her voice gets quieter. "It's just incredibly sad to me that you guys don't fully realize the damage that Grandma did with her relationship with Mom."

"What do you mean?"

She doesn't say anything for a moment and then she quietly begins, "Did you know that in most of the fights you've had with Mom over the past few years, I've been on your side?"

I'm too surprised to respond and she continues. "I was always telling Mom that she needed to share her life with the two of you. I encouraged her to talk to you and Grandma about the people she was seeing and the things that were going on in her life, but she always resisted. She was afraid that if she let you guys in too much that one of you would find a way to destroy her happiness." Rory looks down at her plate and takes another bite of her cheeseburger, as if to give herself time to put her thoughts into words. "I always thought that she was just being paranoid, but Grandma's actions just proved that Mom has been right all along. Mom was finally opening up with the two of you. She wanted to include you guys in her life. She let her guard down, and Grandma swooped in and almost destroyed the best relationship Mom's ever been in."

I speak up to defend Emily at this unfair statement. "Your Grandmother just wanted to make sure that your mother was aware of all of her options before she got too serious with Luke."

"Grandpa, you don't understand," she gestures with her hand to emphasize her point. "The very fact that she is willing to date Luke shows how serious she is. Luke has been a part of our everyday lives for almost as long as I can remember. Mom doesn't date people that aren't easily excised from her life if things go wrong. Even Max left our lives without too much fuss after she ended the engagement. Mom knew up front that wouldn't be possible with Luke. She knew that if things went badly it would be bad for everyone, but she felt that he was worth the risk." Her voice is rising again in anger as she goes on. "The fact that Mom brought him to a family function should have been another major clue that she was already serious about him. When was the last time that Mom willingly brought a date to a Gilmore family function?"

I have to admit to myself that I can't remember it happening in recent history. Rory is quiet for a moment as I reflect on everything that she's told me.

"Grandpa, I guess I just don't understand why the two of you have it in for Luke," she begins again quietly. "He is the kindest, sweetest guy I know. And he loves Mom so much. And I know that he loves me too. He has always taken care of both of us …" she pauses and I'm appalled to see tears forming in her eyes.

"We just … your grandmother and I just don't think that he can provide the kind of life that your mother deserves."

"You mean your kind of life," she says without rancor. "No offense Grandpa, but has there been anytime during the last four years no anytime in Mom's entire life that she has ever given you the impression that she wants your kind of life."

I am stunned into silence, and a stray memory of Lorelai at the age of ten pops into my head. She was fighting her mother on wearing a very expensive dress to the birthday party of an important client's little girl. She had been screaming about hating the dress and hating going to these birthday parties where she never had any fun. I then remember another time when Emily was attempting to teach Lorelai the proper way to serve tea. Lorelai had been supremely disinterested and would make little towers with the teacups whenever her mother's back was turned. Emily and I have always thought that Lorelai was just rebellious from a very young age and had never grown out of it. I don't think the thought has ever entered into either one of our heads that Lorelai's behavior is much more than simple rebellion.

Rory begins to talk again, drawing my thoughts back to the present. "She has the life that she wants with the man that she wants. Luke doesn't need to own a bunch of diners to make Mom happy. In fact, she would probably hate it if he franchised because that would mean that he would have less time to spend with her."

I remember all of the times that I spent away from my family because of business trips and meetings.

"Luke is happy with his life the way things are," Rory continues. "He'll deny it to the bitter end, but he loves spending time with the people who come into his diner. He loves cooking greasy food that he himself would never eat. But as much as Luke loves running the diner, helping his friends and family always comes first. Did you know that he drove Mom to the hospital that night you got sick at the Christmas party? He closed up the diner and told everyone the food was on the house just so that he could help Mom when she needed him. He hates hospitals, but he stayed there until we knew that you were going to be okay, and then he made sure that I got home safely. That's the kind of man that he is."

I'm surprised by Rory's impassioned defense of Luke. I knew that Lorelai and Luke were friends before they had started dating, but I didn't fully realize the important part he played in the lives of my girls. Suddenly, I want to know what Rory sees when she sees Luke.

"Tell me more about him," I ask her.

She smiles brightly. "He's the best," she begins. "He's always there for us. Even before he and Mom were dating. I don't think there is one square inch in our house that he hasn't worked on in some way. He built most of my bookcases." She laughs a bit to herself, as she seems to remember something else. "I got the chicken pox right when they first became friends, and I was so miserable. I was covered with blisters, and I was really grumpy with Mom because she would not let me scratch myself. I got really picky about food and refused to eat anything that she prepared. I love Mom to death, but she cannot cook to save her life. I guess she talked to Luke about it because he came over to our house and asked me what I wanted to eat. I had blisters in my mouth and it was hard for me to eat anything solid, so I said mashed potatoes. And wouldn't you know that he brought me fresh mashed potatoes three times a day for a week while I was recuperating." She smiles and there is a hint of wonder in her voice as if she still can't believe that he would do that for her. "He would deliver them himself, and he would always bring me a little present during the lunchtime delivery: puzzle books, Mad Libs, joke books. Anything to help keep my mind off of the fact that I was sick."

I have to admit that this information fascinates me. I don't really know that much about Rory's life before she started Chilton. She looks at me to see if I want her to continue, and I gesture for her to do so.

"I've never doubted that Luke cares about me. The first week of my senior year Luke asked me if he could come to my graduation. He asked me for the date months in advance so that he could make sure that the diner was covered."

She looks down and plays with her remaining food for a moment and I know that she's thinking about Christopher and how he was unable to attend. "Dad didn't even know when my graduation was until about three weeks beforehand, and then he told me that he had an important business trip that he couldn't get out of." She stares off into space for a moment and then takes a deep breath before continuing. "I understand. I do, but it still hurts that he wasn't there."

The waitress comes with the check and I hand her my credit card. Rory and I are silent as we leave the pub. We're almost to the car when Rory stops and turns to me.

"I don't think it's too late for you and Grandma to have a relationship with Mom. I know she doesn't always act like it, and I'll be the first to admit that she likes shocking the two of you, but deep down Mom really wants your approval. She's just not willing to sacrifice who she is in order to get it. If you and Grandma really want a relationship with her, you're going to have to accept her for who she is, and stop putting her down for not choosing the life that you wanted her to choose."

I think back to Lorelai's smile when I complimented her on the Dragonfly last week, and then I look at this wonderful young lady in front of me that Lorelai brought up under extremely difficult circumstances. But then memories of all of the pain and embarrassment that Lorelai has caused both Emily and myself enter my thoughts. I remember the looks I got from business associates as word of her pregnancy and refusal to marry Christopher spread. I remember Emily refusing to leave our bed for a month after Lorelai had runaway with Rory. I remember lying to my friends about her whereabouts because I couldn't stand to tell them that she'd rather be a maid than live with us. As always, when it concerns my daughter my emotions battle with one another.

"We are proud of her," I tell Rory quietly. "It's just difficult for us to forget everything that's happened."

"Grandpa, if you and Grandma want to be a part of Mom's life, you're going to need to forgive her for hurting you and realize that she's not your wild teenage daughter anymore. She's an adult who is very capable of making her own decisions. You have every right to be proud of her. She's an amazing person." Rory's pride in her mother is obvious.

"Mom is the strongest person that I know, and she deserves to be in a relationship that makes her happy, and Luke makes her happier than I've ever seen her. Happier than she was with Max, happier than she was with Jason, and way happier than she ever was with Dad." Rory pauses for a moment and then continues on, "Dad's a good guy, but Mom needs someone that she can lean on in times of trouble. Dad has never been that person. I used to wish that he was, but I know now that he's not strong enough to be the kind of partner that she needs. Luke is."

She continues toward the car, and I open the door for her so that she can get in. Rory has certainly given me lots of food for thought about Lorelai. I even want to re-re-meet Luke, so that I can look for all the things that Lorelai and Rory obviously see in him beneathhis slovenly appearance. I want to go home to talk about these new insights with Emily. I honestly don't know if it will be possible to put all of the hurt behind us, but I've both lived with and without a relationship with my daughter, and I have to admit that as difficult as Lorelai is at times, I much prefer having her in my life.

A/N2: Wow, I had a lot to say to Richard. I want to say that I am not happy with the way that they've written Richard and Emily this season. Not that I've ever thought that they'd win parents of the year, but they used to be multi-layered characters. Now they are just one-dimensionally evil. The first season Emily loved her daughter. She didn't know when to shut up, but she loved her daughter. Now it's just all about control and the ruining of lives. (I used to think that their worst parenting moment was when Lorelai told them that Sherri was pregnant and instead of noticing that their daughter was in agony over this and comforting her, they started fighting about whether or not Christopher should be with his new family or old one. I really wanted to smack them then. But they surpassed themselves this season). Next up: Christopher

A/N3: Does not like dashes? I uploaded my document and all of the dashes (not that there were that many) disappeared. I tried to find them all and change them to ... But if you see any lack of puctuation, that may be why.


	8. Christopher

Like Wildfire

By Ellie J.

Disclaimer: Please, like I would ever own Christopher. Hmmm… although if I did, I could flush him down a toilet or something. Mwa ha ha ha! Um, sorry. I don't own anything else either.

A/N: Here it is, the final chapter of this story. I just want to thank all of the people who have reviewed and made my first foray into posting my fanfic so enjoyable. Sorry about the long time between updates. End of quarter reports. Family. Basically RL took over. Plus, I've had to force myself to watch all of the Christopher episodes that have been on recently. My poor Tivo is contaminated with Christopher. I have to watch the Luke and Lorelai scenes in Raincoats and Recipes after I see him. I hope you all enjoy.

Part 8: Christopher

I stare at Rory's last email for the hundredth time today. Every time I get on the computer and see that she hasn't written me yet, I re-read it.

Dad,

First of all, I'm not a kid. Please don't say what happened was all a big misunderstanding. Mom told me what happened and I don't see how the words that came out of your mouth can be construed as a failure in communication.

That being said, I believe that you feel bad about hurting mom. (The "again" is implied, but not written). I'm still too angry to really communicate with you right now. Mom is still very hurt by the break-up, and if I think too much about what you and Grandma conspired to do, I end up feeling violent. But you are my dad, and I don't want to cut you out of my life forever. Just give me time to process and forgive.

As for Mom … I honestly wouldn't expect her to willingly communicate with you anytime soon. Dad, she insulted you in front of me, which is something that she's never done before. She's cut Grandma out of her life, and I think you're going to get the same treatment.

I'll email you when I'm ready to talk again.

I do love you.

Rory

I feel a familiar pain in my gut as I get to the end. I'm so relieved that Rory is willing to consider having a relationship with me, but a huge part of me can't accept that I may have irrevocably lost my oldest and dearest friend.

Lorelai and I have been friends forever. We've had fights before, and I remember all of the times that I've "lost" her in the past, but I've always eventually succeeded in getting her to forgive me.

The very first time she stopped talking to me was when we were eight, and some other boys were teasing me about being friends with a girl. I told them that my parents forced me to be friends with her and that I really didn't like her. Lor found out – of course – and refused to talk to me for weeks. I had to buy her an amazing amount of candy to just get her to look at me, and then she forced me to go to the boys and tell them the truth before she would play with me again.

I lost her again just after Rory was born. My father was so upset that Lor refused to marry me that he wouldn't allow me to give Rory my last name, and I didn't have the guts to go against him. Lorelai never said anything, but I knew that I had disappointed her, and I think that this only confirmed in her mind that she made the right decision not to marry me.

It took me years, but I finally "grew up" enough for her to respect me again. I can't describe the elation I felt when she called me after Rory broke her wrist and I realized that she needed me, and that she wanted me there for her and Rory. It was so great. We were finally a family. But then Sherrie got pregnant, and I couldn't do to her what I had done to Lorelai. I didn't want to miss out on another child's growing up. Lorelai understood, but I lost her anyway. We were friendly for Rory's sake, but we couldn't be friends anymore.

I thought maybe we were getting some of that back after Sherrie left me. Rory told me to stay away, but Lor was the one who contacted me that second time, and then she really helped me when Dad died. I felt our special connection strengthening again so when Emily came and told me that her vow renewal was my last chance to make everything right, I decided that I had to be there. Don't get me wrong, I debated about going. Rory told me that Lor was happy with this guy, but I couldn't forget that she had been really happy with me too. I remembered all of the time that we spent waiting for each other, and I decided that I wasn't going to let bad timing get in the way of our relationship again.

So I went to the wedding, and we all know what happened. She spent every single moment with this guy. I couldn't get a moment alone with her to talk. She was nervous and jittery all night and acted like she was ashamed of me. So I got drunk, and watched her dance with him and give him those little intimate touches that should have been mine. But it was when he got "paternal" with Rory that I really exploded. Who did this guy think he was, stealing my family? I let him have it and told him that Lor and I would always belong together, and he was just a temporary diversion.

I've never seen Lorelai that angry with me before. I think that if she hadn't been trying to chase the guy down, that she would have beaten the crap out of me right then and there. I couldn't believe it.

I haven't talked or heard from her since that night. I heard through the grapevine that the diner guy broke up with her. I've tried to call and email her, but she's ignoring me, and not in the same way that she ignored me when Sherrie got pregnant. I can feel her anger coming through the phone calls that she won't return and the emails that she won't reply to.

I just want to make it right between us. Rory said that she was hurt, and I need to make sure that she's getting better. I realize now that I didn't approach her the right way at all. I should have taken her out to lunch or something and reminded her of all that we share. Deep down I still believe that Lor and I are meant for each other. I'm an idiot. I know that, but if I can just get her talking to me again, then maybe we might have another chance.

I drop G.G. off with my mother and start the drive to Stars Hollow. I don't know if I'm actually going to try and talk to Lorelai tonight, but I just want to see her and perhaps get a lay of the land. It's getting late and the sun has already set by the time I make it to her little town. I decide to park my car in a parking lot and walk around to look for her. I put on a hat and zip my jacket up so that it's covering my face a little. The last thing I need is for some local busybody to recognize me and then tell Lor that I'm stalking her.

I walk around the town square looking for either her or her jeep. When I come up with nothing, I decide to head in the direction of her house and see if she's home. I come up to her house and I see her jeep in the driveway. There are a few lights on so I look into the windows for any movement.

At that moment, the headlights of a beat up old truck come into her driveway. I duck down and make my way to a big tree in her front yard and press myself close to it to escape detection.

All thought leaves my head as I see Lor and the diner guy in the truck. They're back together. They stay there a moment talking and then he gets out of the truck and walks around to open the door for her. As she gets out she wraps her arms around his neck and pulls him down for a lingering kiss. They draw apart and he says something to make her laugh. It kills me that she looks so happy with him.

I am focusing all of my concentration on the couple before me when suddenly I feel a sharp pain in my back accompanied by yelling.

"I've got him Morey! Call the police and tell them we've got a burglaring Peeping Tom!" I turn around to see a small blond woman with a broom. Before I can say anything she raises the broom again and brings it down, this time on my shoulder. I scream in pain, bend down and raise my arms to try and ward off the blows.

Lorelai and the guy hear the commotion and come over.

"Babette, are you okay?" she asks the blond woman, who is still hitting me with the broom.

"Yeah, I saw this guy (smack) skulking about in your yard earlier (smack) and I was keeping an eye on him. When you guys came home (smack) he hid behind the tree to watch you guys make out. Pervert!" she yells as she hits me really hard on the back.

"No!" I finally get out, "Lor, it's me!" I yell.

"Christopher?" she says disbelievingly.

"Christopher?" the diner guy says.

"Christopher?" the blond lady (Babette, I guess) asks. "Rory's father? The one who's partially responsible for you guys breaking up?"

"Yeah," Lorelai says in a distracted voice, and I can tell that she's still processing my presence when Babette raises the broom and -- **_thwack _**--hits me again, this time harder than when she thought I was a pervert.

"Babette!" Lorelai yells, but Babette's not looking at Lorelai, she's staring right at me.

"I love these girls," she starts. "And I love Luke. You hurt them, and then I hurt you. Understand?"

"Yeah," I gasp through my pain.

"Babette, I can handle this," Lorelai tells the crazy woman. "Go inside and call the police and tell them not to come."

"Are you sure, Doll?" she asks. "I think he's stalking you."

"It's fine Babette." Lorelai watches Babette enter the house and then turns to the guy. "Luke, go inside. I'll be right in." Diner guy does not look happy at this.

"Lorelai…" he begins, but she raises her hand and strokes his face and he stops.

"Luke, I'll deal with this. Start cutting the pie," she smiles and kisses him gently on the lips. Diner guy takes a deep breath, glares at me but then heads inside. Lorelai turns towards me.

"Are you all right?" she asks.

"I think so."

"Christopher, what are you doing here?" she asks wearily.

"I … I wanted to come and try and make things right between us. Lorelai, we've been friends since elementary school. You can't just throw that away."

"Friends?" Lorelai says in quiet anger, mindful of the neighbors. "Friends don't do what you did, Christopher. You knew I was in a good relationship. You knew I was happy, but all you thought about was yourself. I've excused a lot of your behavior in the past, but I won't do that anymore. You're the one who threw our friendship away, not me."

"Don't say that Lor."

"Why not?"

"Because you have to know that I was right," I say desperately. "I may not have said it in the most appropriate way, but I was right. We've always been waiting for each other. Always. You spent years waiting for me to grow up, and then I waited for you to realize that I _had_ grown up. Then when you called me after Rory broke her wrist, I realized that we didn't have to wait anymore. You needed me and I could be 'that guy' for you. But then Sherrie got pregnant, and I couldn't abandon her and we went back to waiting."

"I wasn't waiting for you, Christopher."

"Then why did you drop everything to help me after Sherri left?"

"Because we'd been friends since elementary school." My heart stops at her use of the past tense. "And you needed the help, but I'm not going to let you give Luke one moment of worry about his place in my life."

"You're going to give up on a life long friendship because your boyfriend won't like it?" I ask. I can't believe it. This is not the Lorelai that I know.

"Christopher, if there is one thing that my life has taught me, it is that I can get along very well without you in it. Those weeks apart from Luke, however, were hell." I'm shocked at the steel in her voice. "I won't put either one of us through that again." She pauses for a moment and I see tears form in her eyes, and then she says quietly, "I will always care about you. I will always be thankful to you for Rory. But Luke is it for me. He's my elusive soul mate. He's my best friend and cook and lover and handyman all rolled into one. He's my whole package."

"But you said, that day, that you had been waiting for me. You told me that you had always been counting on the two of us getting together someday and that's why you were sabotaging your relationships. That just doesn't go away."

"Christopher, I've gotten a new perspective since being with Luke, and I honestly don't know if I was waiting all those years for you to grow up enough for a relationship with me, or waiting for myself to grow up enough for a relationship with Luke."

I can't believe what I'm hearing. She's wanted him for that long? "But what about when Rory broke her wrist before Sherri got pregnant? What was that?"

She looks away for a moment and I can tell that she's choosing her words very carefully. This in itself makes me dread what she's going to say. "I care about you, Christopher. I do. But I've been thinking a lot about my relationships with both you and Luke since the vow renewal."

She pauses, as if she knows that what she's going to say will hurt me and she doesn't want to say it. "It wasn't conscious, but I have to honestly say that the reason that I called you the night that Rory broke her wrist and told you that I needed you was because I had just had a huge fight with Luke and I couldn't go to him for the support I needed. I am grateful for the support you did give us, and I really wanted to try and make it work with you. But I don't think that we would have made it – even if Sherrie hadn't gotten pregnant."

Parts of my brain shut down at hearing this. I was her second choice, even then. "I can't hear anymore," I hear myself tell her. A stray thought enters my head. Lor was right all those years ago. We don't know each other anymore. We have a common past and Rory, but that's it. I start to head back towards the town square.

"Chris …"

"My car is parked downtown. I'll be okay." I turn around to look at her and half realize that this may be the last "real" conversation that we will ever have.

"Goodbye Lorelai," I tell her.

"Goodbye Christopher." I turn around and begin the walk to my car. It doesn't fully hit me until I've taken about five steps that I've really lost her this time. I turn back around but she's already heading towards the house. Towards her diner man and their pie. I start walking to my car again trying to figure out how my life got so screwed up.

A/N2: I always kind of wondered why Rory didn't have Christopher's last name, but I recently discovered, that at least here in Indiana, the mother has to get the father's permission to give the child his last name. I don't know if that's true in Connecticut, but I can just see Straub forbidding it, and Christopher being too much of a weenie to go against him. Please Review.

A/N3: I said I wanted to cause the deadbeat pain. I hope that I succeeded.


	9. Epilogue: Luke and Lorelai

Like Wildfire

By Ellie J.

Disclaimer: Not Mine. I'm just playing with them. I'll give them back. Honest.

A/N: Ok, I'm a compulsive liar. Here's one more chapter. It's really more of an epilogue to the Christopher chapter than anything else.

Epilogue: Luke and Lorelai

Luke was standing in Lorelai's kitchen, slicing the pie that he had brought over earlier as he fought the urge to go outside and pound Christopher into the ground. He consoled himself with the thought that Babette had already done a pretty good job of kicking Christopher's ass that evening. Still, he would have liked to have at least thrown one punch at the guy.

Everything had been going so well that evening. It hadn't been a fancy date, just dinner and a movie. They talked and laughed. He let her go on and on about how she was sure that there was a government conspiracy to deprive her of Red Vines. She had let him rant about the prices of movie concessions. He had felt so content when they had arrived back at her house.

But now Chris was here, and Lorelai was talking to him, and Luke was honest enough with himself to admit that it bothered him. He trusted her. He did, but he also had to admit that Lorelai wasn't at her most rational where Christopher was concerned. She had always forgiven him in the past, no matter what he had done, and had welcomed him back into her life with open arms. And there was the problem. He really didn't want Christopher back in Lorelai's life. After the reconciliation they had mostly talked about her relationship with her parents. She had only mentioned Christopher when had told him about his email to Rory saying that everything had been a big misunderstanding. (They both had agreed that was bullshit).

Still, he couldn't help but remember Lorelai coming into his diner one night a few years earlier on the verge of tears. She had been so upset that Christopher was going to marry another woman. When Christopher had confessed his feelings at the vow renewal, Luke's mind had flashed back to that night and her saying that the universe was out to stop her and Chris from being together. A tiny part of him couldn't help but wonder if he was some sort of roadblock on the path to Lorelai and Christopher's true love. The thought had made him ill. Even now, in the recesses of his mind, Luke wondered if he could really compete with that stupid star-crossed lovers thing that they had going on. He kept on reminding himself that he and Lorelai were back together because they were miserable without each other and that she had chosen to be with him.

Luke headed to the coffee maker and began to make a pot as he tried to occupy his mind with anything else besides what was going on between Lorelai and Christopher on her front lawn.

He heard the front door open and looked up to see Lorelai enter the kitchen. She smiled at him, but he could see the sadness in her eyes. He went over and gave her a big hug. She wrapped her arms around him, buried her face in his neck, and inhaled deeply.

"You always smell so good," she said into his neck. "I missed that while we were apart."

"Really?" he said.

"Uh huh. You left one of your shirts here, and when I really, really missed you I would take it out and smell it."

"That's really, really disgusting," he said, and she laughed.

"I know. That just shows how much I missed you."

He smiled and kissed the top of her head. "Are you going to be all right?" he finally asked.

She pulled away a little and looked up at him. "Yeah. I'm kind of glad that he came." She felt him stiffen and she hurriedly continued, "I just mean that there were some things that I really needed to say to him."

He let her go and went to the pie. "There's some coffee there," he told her, and she couldn't help but notice that his expression had become a little guarded.

"Thanks," she told him and poured herself a cup. He took the plates with the pies and put them on the table. She sat down next him and watched him for a moment.

"So do you want to know what Chris and I talked about?" she finally asked

He sat back in the chair and folded his arms in front of him before he replied. "Only if you want to tell me."

She smiled. "I do. I don't want there to be secrets between us, especially where Christopher is concerned." She took a sip of her coffee before continuing. "He wanted to see if we could save our friendship." Luke nodded his head. He had expected that.

"But I told him that wasn't possible," she continued.

Luke looked up, his surprise apparent. He took a moment before responding.

"Lorelai, I'll be the first to admit that I would be very happy if you never talked to the guy again, but you've known him forever. You have a child together, and that's not something that you can just ignore. I don't want you to do something that you'll end up regretting just to try and please me." She smiled and raised her hand to gently stroke his cheek.

"Luke, I'm not doing it just to please you. I'm doing it because I think it's what's best for both of us. Yes, Chris is an important part of my past. But you are an even more important part of my present and future, and that's what I told him. Rory is grown up and making her own decisions. She doesn't need me to be close friends with her father."

"Yeah, but …"

"My feelings are important to you, aren't they?"

"Of course they are," he replied, wondering where the question had come from.

"As much as Christopher says he cares about me," she began, "I'm not sure if he's ever really considered my feelings in a lot of his decisions." She stopped for a moment, lost in memories. "After Sherrie got pregnant, he kept on calling and leaving me messages, not even trying to understand why I couldn't talk to him. Even now, Rory had told him that we were happy, but that didn't stop him from charging in there and saying all of that crap at the wedding."

"Lorelai…"

"But you, my friend, are different. You always pick up on how I'm feeling, even if I don't tell you. When I'm happy, you're there being happy with me. When I'm angry you always let me vent it out. When I'm sad, you're there with a Santa Burger or a homemade ice rink to cheer me up." She smiled ruefully. "Honestly, you're too good for me."

"Lorelai …" He paused for a moment. He wasn't always good at expressing his deep emotions and he wanted to get this right. "You make me happy. I never thought I could be as happy as I am when I'm with you." Lorelai smiled at him and then looked down at the table as if she was considering something.

"Luke?"

"Yeah."

"I love you," she said with a catch in her voice and then smiled as she saw his eyes widen at her words. "I do. I am completely in love with you, Lucas Danes. You are the most amazing person that I have ever met. I should have told you a long time ago, but I'm not good with that word. It scares me, but for once, not saying it scares me even more."

Luke remained silent during her speech, but a few tears had started streaming down his face; Lorelai was not surprised by them. She'd seen him cry before, and she loved that even though he was such a "macho" man, he was not ashamed to cry in front of her.

She got up, moved onto his lap and wrapped her arms around him. Luke moved his hands from her arms to her face and leaned in to kiss her, at first gently, but passion soon overwhelmed them and they lost themselves in the kiss. Eventually, they pulled apart to breathe, and Luke, panting slightly, rested his forehead against hers.

"I love you too, Lorelai Gilmore," he whispered

Lorelai was speechless. She had known that Luke loved her, but hearing the actual words had robbed her of her ability to speak. Through tears of her own, she gave him her most brilliant smile and kissed him again. She then rested her head on his shoulder, and they both just enjoyed the moment.

After a few minutes she gave a little laugh, and Luke glanced down at her. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing really. I was just thinking that you were right."

"I'm always right." He smiled as she playfully smacked him for this remark. "What was I right about in this particular instance?"

"That someday I'd get my 'whole package'." Her expression became serious as she looked into his eyes. "You're '_it_' for me Luke. You have been for a long time. I told Christopher that too."

"You're '_it_' for me too, Crazy Lady," he said with a smile.

She smiled as she lightly kissed his lips and then his cheek and then made her way to that sensitive spot just below his ear. "Since we've just had an important relationship milestone, and we know each other so well, I'm willing to bet that you know exactly what I'm thinking right now," she whispered seductively.

"I do," he said, smiling. "You're thinking that you still have a plate full of pie that needs to be eaten before we take this any further." Lorelai laughed delightedly and kissed him again.

"It's spooky how well you know me."

The End. Really.

A/N 2: I would choose Luke over the pie, but this is Lorelai and we all know how she feels about her pie.

A/N 3: I got lots of responses about Rory's last name, saying how they think Lorelai did it because she's a feminist girl power woman. I agree that was a huge part of it, but I don't see why it can't be both that and the fact that Christopher is a weenie. I think it is because Lorelai is so strong and secure that she didn't really care if Rory was a Hayden or not. However, I don't think she would have objected if Chris had wanted to give Rory his last name. I can totally see her hyphenating Rory's name if Chris had wanted to add his name. All evidence points to the fact that she wanted and encouraged Chris to have an active part in Rory's life. She dreamed about someday sharing a life with him (pre-Luke, of course). The guy was just a deadbeat and didn't show up. I just don't see her saying to Christopher, "My child will be a Gilmore, no matter how you feel about it." I more see it as, "Lor, my dad won't let me give our child my last name," and Lorelai, while thinking that he needs to grow a spine and that her child doesn't need his stinking name anyways says "That's okay, Chris. I am thrilled that this child will be a Gilmore. It's a good name that's always worked for me." In my little world she wasn't disappointed that Rory wasn't a Hayden, more that Christopher wasn't man enough to stand up to Straub. So that's my thinking process. I hope it makes sense. Besides Chris is a weenie and I wanted to make him look as weenieful as possible while trying to not make him one-dimensional. (Hee, I just added weenieful to my spell check dictionary).


End file.
